Admissions Requirements and Prerequisite Courses

While having college experience is helpful, it is not required to be eligible for our OTA program. We accept students of varying education levels, from high school graduates to master’s degree holders.

Admissions Requirements

A high school diploma or passing GED® exam score

A minimum cumulative high school GPA of 2.5, or

College credits with a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5, if applicable

Occupational Therapy Assistant Prerequisite Courses

We require the successful completion of four prerequisite courses for admission into the OTA program. You can take these prerequisite courses online through our university. They can be completed independently of or in conjunction with the OTA program’s liberal arts and science (LAS) courses.

A grade of C or better in each of the four prerequisite courses

A minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5 for all four prerequisite courses

Course

Description

Credit Hours

BIOL 2400*

General Anatomy and Physiology with Lab

4

HIMP 1020*

Medical Terminology

1

PSYC 1000

General Psychology

4

PSYC 2020*

Lifespan Developmental Psychology

4

Total

13

*These prerequisites must be completed within the last five years.

We allow you one repeat of each prerequisite course should you need to boost your grade or GPA level to be eligible for the program.

If you have previous college experience and completed one or more of these prerequisite courses, please talk to an admissions counselor to see if your credits are transferable. If you took one of these prerequisite courses as pass/fail credit (i.e. CLEP, Advanced Placement, etc.), please make sure you speak with an admissions counselor to discuss how this may affect your prerequisite GPA.

Code of Conduct

Success in the field of occupational therapy not only requires you to have the right knowledge and skills, it also involves having a personality that fits the field’s desired code of conduct. Because occupational therapy assistants work with people of all ages and personalities, it’s important to exhibit professional behavior at all times as well as have:

Good interpersonal skills

Strong communication skills

Excellent problem solving skills

Effective time management skills

Suitable stress management skills

We recommend learning about the character review process the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT®) uses to ensure OT practitioners meet standards of professional conduct.